Locomotive structure



April 3.7,, 1934. c M DARDEN 1,955,377

LOCOMOTIVE STRUCTURE Original Filed Feb. 9, 1931 2' Sheets-Sheet l 49 6/42/0766 MDora/ev z Z1 April 17, 1934. c. M. DARDEN LOCOMOTIVE STRUCTURE Original Filed Feb. 9, 1931 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 \\|ll||J IIII IIL ther Patented Apr. 17, 1%34 1,955,377 LQCOMGTIVE STRUCTURE Clarence M. Darden, Nashville, Tenn.

Original application February 9, 1931, Serial No.

Bivided this application Septemher 1, 1933, Serial No. 687,735

12 Claims.

This invention relates to railway rolling stock and consists in novel means for mounting reverse gearin and particularly the power reverse gear for locomotives.

Heretofore it has been the usual practice to secure the power reverse cylinder and its immediately associated parts to the boiler sheet, the operating piston being connected to the valve gearing by along reach rod. The bolts or studs attaching the reverse cylinder to the boiler sheet necessarily require puncturing of the sheet, which weakens the sheet in that dangerous openings are apt to develop around the cylinder attaching due to vibration and corrosion. Moreover,

I: repeated operation of the reverse gear may loosen the attaching studs, causing disalinement of moving parts with consequent binding therebetween.

It is an important object of the present invention to eliminate the bolts or studs in the boiler sheet heretofore used in attaching the power reverse cylinder thereto.

Another object is to provide more stable mounting for the power reverse gear.

Another object is to locate the reverse cylinder nearer to the reverse link and associated valve gear parts than has heretofore been the case.

These objects are attained substantially by mounting the power reverse cylinder directly upon a valve gear bracket located at the side of the front portion of the locomotive underframe. This application constitutes a division of an application Serial No. 514,661, filed February 9, 1931, reference to which is hereby made for fur- .escription of parts disclosed in the drawings.

In the accompanying drawings which illu trate the invention Figure l is a side View of the front portion of a locomotive showing the invention applied thereto.

Figure 2 is a top view of the locotive underframe.

Figures 3, 4 and 5 are half vertical transverse ections taken on the corresponding section lines of Figure 2.

Figure 6 is a vertical longitudinal section taken on the line 6-6 of Figure 2.

In the drawings, the boiler l is shown mounted upon the underframe, generally indicated at 2, by means of the usual cylinder saddle 3 and expansion plates 4 secured to the brackets 5 projecting from the underframe, and other boiler supports of any suitable form located rearwardly of the expansion plate, only one of which is (Cl. l05172) shown at 6. The underframe is of the one-piece bed type including box-section backbone member 7 and wheel pieces 8 with pedestals 9, and is cast integral with the cylinder saddle and smoke box support 3, main steam cylinders 10 and valve chests 11. The valve gear brackets project sidewardly from the wheel pieces 8 a short distance behind the cylinder saddle and include spaced longitudinally bars 12 and 13, with bearings 14 for the reverse link 15 forming part of the well known W alschaert valve gearing. The valve gear brackets are braced at each end by beam structures 1S and 17 extending across the underframe, and at the front by triangular gussets 17a. On the underside of the longitudinal bar 12 near the forward end thereof and adjacent its intersection with cross beam 17 is a bracket or pad 33 to which the cross head guide 34 is secured by bolts as illustrated. The beam 17 together with the longitudinal bar 12 and bracket 33 form a guide yoke for supporting the cross head guide 34. Expansion plate brackets 5 project above the forward beam structure 17 and are braced by longitudinal ribs 5a.

Projecting above the inner bar 12 of the valve gear bracket on one side is an integral frame structure including uprights l8 and 19 and a connecting longitudinal 20, all of angle section. Secured to this frame is a cross head guide structure including arcuate upper and lower guides 21 and 22 connected by yokes 29 and at the ends of the guides. These yokes have bolting flanges 31 and 32, respectively, secured to the supporting structure by bolts or rivets, or other suitable connecting means. At the forward end of the guides is a plate 23 to which is secured the power reverse cylinder 24. The reverse crank 25, 25a is operated by a comparatively short reach rod 26 connected to cross head 27 having arcuate upper and lower surfaces engaging the guides 21 and 22. The cross head is arranged to reciprocate between these guides under the influence of the power reverse piston 28 and piston rod 28a. The reverse mechanism shown is otherwise of familiar form.

The power reverse arrangement described provides substantial and stable mounting for the reverse gear operating cylinder and its guides, and locates these parts in proximity to the valve gearing so that a shorter reach rod may be used, and the reverse and valve gearing are compactly assembled in a manner to occupy a minimum of space. Moreover, a number of studs usually provided in the boiler sheet for mounting the reverse cylinder are eliminated.

Various parts described may be modified as to detail, such as shaping and size of metal used, and also different parts may be integrally formed, and exclusive use of all such modifications as some within the scope of the appended claims is contemplated.

What is claimed is:

1. The combination of a locomotive cross-tie member, a support for a valve gear support attached thereto, and a power reverse gear support attached to said valve gear support.

2. The combination of a valve gear support, and a substantially vertical rib secured thereto having means formed thereon for the attachment of a power reverse gear.

3. In a locomotive, a main frame longitudinal, a valve gear bracket mounted on said longitudinal and substantially paralleling the same, and power reverse gear operating means mounted on said bracket.

4. In a locomotive, a main frame, a cross head guide yoke and a valve gear bracket supported on said frame, and a power reverse gear mechanism mounted on said bracket at a point spaced longitudinally of said frame from said guide yoke.

5. In a locomotive, an integral structure including an underframe longitudinal element, a valve gear bracket projecting sidewardly therefrom, and a power reverse support on said bracket.

6. In a locomotive underframe, a longitudinal, a bracket projecting laterally therefrom and including a valve gear support, and a power reverse element on said bracket between said longitudinal and said support.

7. In a locomotive, an underframe longitudinal, a longitudinally extending valve gear bracket carried thereby, and structure mounted on the upper part of said bracket for supporting power reverse mechanism.

8. In a locomotive, a valve gear bracket and a structure projecting from said bracket and including means for supporting a power reverse cylinder and a cross head guide element therefor.

9. A locomotive valve gear bracket having elements for mounting a power reverse gear operating cylinder and a cross head guide therefor.

10. In a locomotive, a valve gear bracket and an elongated structure projecting therefrom, said structure being arranged for supporting a power reverse gear operating cylinder and forming cross head guides therefor.

11. A locomotive valve gear bracket structure including elements forming cross head guides for power reverse gear.

12. A locomotive valve gear bracket structure including elements for supporting power reverse gear operating cylinder.

CLARENCE M. DARDEN. 

